Control system



April 8 1941. M ERQQNS I 2,237,574

CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 24, 1937 5706A @E TAN/r PRESSURE TA /V/r yamw C, WM

/QTTUEA/EK 'reigned Apr. s, 1941 CONTROL SYSTEM .f Lawrence M. Persons, St. Louis County, Mo., as-

signor to Automatic Control Corporation, St. I Louis, Mo., a corporation oi Delaware l Application December 24, 1937, Serial No.181,6fi8

(Cl. (i2- 4) `9 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to controis, and more particularly to a control system adapted to be advantageously employed for unlondinp and loading a refrigerating machine or system. .nn object of the present invention is to Drovidc n control system which automatically loads and unloads a reirigerating machine or system. nnother object is to provide a control which is adapted to be used in combination with a refrigeration machine or system which includes a hat tery ci compressors to shui; ofi and start said compressors in predetermined succession as the load .upon the' machine or system decreases or increases.

, ernlbodies a plurality oi pressure switches, and

means for preventing hunting in the operation ci" the switches.

nnother object is to provide a control which ehiciently and effectively shuts od and starts a reirigeration machineor system inV predeter-i mined stages.

.iinother object ls to provide a control which in simple in construction, inexpensive, and adapt'- A edto he readily installed.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent iii-om the following description, taken in connection withv the accompanying drawing, in which: "The ligure shows diagrammatically a refrigeration system having a control constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention operatively connected therewith.

Referring to the drawing more particularly'by reierence'numerals, there is shown diagrammatlcally a refrigeration system I which comprises a bank of compressors 2 including four compressors designated 2, 4, 5, and 6, a condenser 1, a storage tank '8, an expansion-valve 6,' a cooling chamber i0 which encloses a cooling coil II, and connecting pipes I2. The cooling c1f1amber I0 has pipes I3 and I4 leading thereinto and therefrom, respectively, by means oi which air. or the like, being cooled enters and leaves the cooling chamber I0.

A novel control I8 is provided which includes a capillary tube I9, a, pressuretank 20, a 4manifold g2l, pressure switches 22, 2l, 24, and 26, and connections 26 between the manifold 2| and the switches 22--2l' Leads 2l and 26 electrically connect switches 22-25`with the motors (not shown) of the compressors 3 6, respectively.

The capillary tube I9 is connected into the refrigeration system at iii. The diameter of the capillary tube In is substantially smaller than the diameters of the several pipes l2. The dameters of the manifold 2i and the connections 2t are relatively small in a predetermined relationship with the diameter of the capillary tube i3.

Operation Each oi the switchesv ii-ih is set to automatically shut ofi" its respective compressor at a predetermined pressure 4of the cooling medium within the pipes i2 adjacent said compressor and in the connection 26adjacent the said switch, and to start its respective compressor vat a predetermined higher pressure at said points. Hence, a predetermined differential is obtained between the start setting of the switch 22 and the stop settingof the switch 25.

For illustration, the switch i2 is set to stop the compressor 3 when the pressure within the connection 26 drops to 37 pounds 'and to start the compressor i when the pressure within the connection 26 rises 'to i0 pounds. switch 23 stops and starts the compressor 4 at 36 and 39 pounds pressure, respectively, in the Vadjacent connection 26; the switch 2li stops and4 starts the compressor-5 at 35 and 38 pounds pressure, respectively, in` the adjacent connection 26; and the switch 25 stops and starts the compressor 6 at 34 and 37 pounds pressure, respectively, inthe adjacent connection 26.

Further, assume that all four compressors are functioning, that the pressure of thefcooling medium just above the expansion valve is 100 pounds, and that the pressure in the pipes adjacent the compressors at the entrance side is 42 pounds. Correspondingly, the pressure within the manifold 2l and the connections 26 will be substantially 42 pounds, since this pressure has been reached gradually. The capillary tube I9 land the pressure tank 20 permit the pressure vwithin. the manifold 2| and the connections 26l tofall or rise gradually in accordance with the pressure within the pipe I2 adjacent the coull nection 29.

In accordance with refrigeration systems, the pressure of the cooling medium drops from 100 pounds at, a point above the expansion valve 3 to some pressure as the assumed pressure 42 adijacent the compressors, for the cooling medium is lexpanded by the expansion valve 9, reducing the Similarly, the

Y redu-cing the pressure.

' pressors. which would immediately occasion the starting of temperature thereof, increasing the volume, and As the cooling medium passes through the cooling coil H, heat Within the cooling chamber I is absorbed thereby, which raises the temperature of the cooling medium. Hence, initially, as the cooling medium leaves the coolingchamber I0, it will comprise a certain volume at, say, 70 temperature and at 42 pounds pressure.

However, as the air, or the like, being cooled Within the cooling chamber I0 has the heat content removed therefrom by the cooling medium, the temperature of the cooling medium leaving the cooling chamber I0 will gradually decrease. As the temperature of the cooling medium past the expansion valve drops, then, in accordance with the well known equation PVT=P'V'T, the pressure and the volume thereof past the expansion valve will decrease.- As the volume of the cooling medium decreases, the required number of compressors. necessary to compress the cooling medium will correspondingly decrease. Hence, as soon as the pressure of the cooling medium within the pipe sections I2 adjacent the compressors and within the manifold 2| and connections 26 drops tol 37 pounds, the switch 22 opens and stops the compressoi` 3.

When the compressor 3 is taken out of service,

the burden of compressing the cooling medium available at the compressors is thrown upon the remaining compressors l, 5, and .6. Before the compressors 4, 5, and 6 can take on the additional load, the pressure of the cooling medium adjacent thereto is raised because the volume of the cool- 'ing medium is compressed or decreased due to accumulation of the cooling medium at the com- This pressure may rise to 41 pounds,

block permits the compressors 4, 5, and 5 to readjust themselves to the greater load which, of course, requires but a Veryv short period of time. The pressure within the manifold 2l 'may rise slightly, but not suiiiciently to restart the compressor 3.

Therefore, hunting is eliminated. 'I-'hat is, the compressor `3 is not restarted and stopped two or three times before the compressors Il, 5, and 6 absorb the additional load thrown upon them by the stopping of the compressor 3. Were the switches 22-25 connected directly to the pipe l2 adjacent the compressors, then hunting would be inevitable.

The switches 23, 24, and 25 function similarly to the switch 22 to shut off and start their respective compressors.

It is thus apparent that there has been provided V a control for refrigerating machines and systems which is adapted to unload and load the same without involving that objectionable feature known as hunting. Further, the control is sim- 'ple, accurate, and in all respects adapted to ful--y ll the objects and advantages sought therefor. The selected temperatures, pressures, and the like comprising a plurality of pressure switches, means operativelyconnecting said pressure switches to the said cooling medium line, means electrically connecting said switches to said compressors, and

means connected in said rst means for prevent-A ing sudden pressure changes within the saidpressure line from being immediately conveyed to said switches. l

2. In combination, a refrigeration system including a plurality of compressors and a cooling medium line including cooling medium, and a control for said system including means operatively, connected to said compressors and said system to consecutively stop or start the same substantially without hunting on the part of an individual compressor control, said means including pressure switches connected to the cooling medium line, one of which is operatively connected to each of said compressors, and means disposed in the connection between the pressure switches and the cooling medium line adapted to prevent hunting of said pressure switches in operation.

3. In combination, a refrigeration system including a plurality of compressors and a fluid line, and a control for said system including means operatively connected to said compressors and into said system to consecutively stop or start the same substantially without hunting on the part of an individual compressor control, said means including pressure switches, one of which is connected to each of said compressors, and a capillary tube disposed between the switches and the fluid line of the refrigeration mechanism.

4. In combination, a refrigeration system including a plurality of Icompressors and a cooling medium line containing cooling medium, and a control comprising a plurality of pressure switches, a fluid line connecting said switches to said cooling medium line, means electrically connecting said switches to said compressors, and a capillary tube disposed in said iiuid line preventing hunting of said switches.

5. In combination, a refrigeration system including a plurality-of compressors and a cooling medium line including cooling medium under pressure, means actuated by the pressure of the cooling medium for individually starting and stopping said compressors, and means connected into the cooling medium line and to the pressure actuated means to prevent hunting of said pressure actuated means.

6. In combination, a refrigeration system including a plurality of compressors and a cooling medium line including cooling medium under pressure, pressure switches actuated by the pressure of the cooling medium for individually starting and stopping said compressors, and means connected into the'cooling medium line and toy said pressure switches to prevent hunting of said pressure switches.

pressure, pressure switches actuated by the pressure o! the cooling medium for individually starting and stopping said compressors, and means to prevent hunting of said pressure switches, said means comprising a capillary, tube and a pressure tank disposed in 'the connection between the switches and the cooling medium line.

8. A control comprising a plurality of pressure switches, lmeans connecting said switches with a main body of an actuating medium, means electrically connecting said switches with controlled devices. and means in said rst means preventing sudden transmission of pressure from said main body of actuating medium to said switches, said last means including a capillary tube and a pressure tank. t

9. A control comprising a plurality of pressure switches, means connecting said switches with a sure switches, and means in said first means preventing sudden transmission of pressure from said main body of actuating medium to said t switches, so that a controlled device can be released o! its load and the load assumed by the other controlled devices without hunting on the part of the switchof the released controlled device.

LAWRENCE M. PERSONS. 

